Critters Camps
Critters day camps are offered to children ages 4–5 and those entering kindergarten unless otherwise noted.
Critters camps are held Monday–Thursday with a half day or full day option.
Pricing
4-day camp session
- Half day (9 a.m.–Noon or 1–4 p.m.): $110
- Full day (9 a.m.–4 p.m. ): $220
3-day camp session
- Half day (9 a.m.–noon or 1–4 p.m.): $82.50
- Full day (9 a.m.–4 p.m. ): $165
Registration
Summer 2024 registration opened on February 6. Most camps are full, but a waiting list is available.
2024 camp schedule
Ready, Set, Grow!
June 24-27
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
How do you make a garden grow? Explore the Discovery Hollow garden and unearth the secrets that make gardens so special. We’ll make seed art, dig in soil and develop your green thumb. Dress to get dirty!
Snug as a Bug
June 24-27
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
What makes a bug snug? Their home, of course! Search above and below the surface of the pond, prairie and woods for six-legged critters. Meet back swimmers, four-eyed beetles, green grasshoppers and a dragonfly or two!
Making Sense and Nonsense
July 1-3 (3-day camp)
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
All aboard for a “sense”ational adventure! Can you find your way down a path by smell alone? If you close your eyes can you tell one animal's fur from another? Let's explore the world through your five senses to learn how animals survive.
Fabulous Flyers
July 1-3 (3-day camp)
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Flyers abound! Butterflies, bats and birds are just some of the creatures you will explore. What do they eat? Where do they sleep? What makes them so fabulous? Let’s figure it out together!
Animal Superheroes
July 8-11
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
What can cut through trees, breathe underwater and fly through the sky? Animal superheroes! Explore the world through compound eyes, study creatures up-close and master a super-skill obstacle course. Discover your superpowers to become a superhero-in-training.
Slithering Secrets: Salamanders & Snakes
July 15-18
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
What does it feel like to slither like a snake or smile like a salamander? Discover the secrets of how these amazing critters get around through games, live animal encounters and trail treks.
Sticks and Stones
July 15-18
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
What do sticks and stones have is common? The endless possibility of play! Use natural loose parts to build, create art and invent games. What else can you do with sticks, stones and friends? Let’s uncover the possibilities.
Animal Babies
July 22-25
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
What’s cuter than a bug’s ear? Animal babies! From tadpoles to turtles, explore how animals raise their young, what it takes to survive into adulthood and the many ways animals care for their newborns.
Ready, Set, Explore!
July 22-25
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
Grab your backpack and field journal and get ready for adventure. Lead the way on daily discovery hikes to meet plants and animals that call the nature center home. Create a spotting scope, join a sing-along, play games and of course, explore!
Wild for Water
July 29-Aug. 1
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
Join us as we go wild for water! We'll play games, experiment with and learn what lives in—you guessed it—water! Have you ever played with snow in summer? If not, this camp is your chance!
Young at ‘art
July 29-Aug. 1
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Create mini masterpieces using the amazing art supplies available in our own backyard! Explore the trails to collect materials and make the great outdoors your canvas as you create to your ‘arts content! Each project is designed specifically for little hands to make great art, from twig frames to leaf prints.
Dino-Mite!
Aug. 5-8
9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m.
Learn all about the different types of dinosaurs in this prehistoric camp. Can you walk like a Wuerhosaurus? Dine on a Diseratops? Leap like a Leptoceratops? We'll take a trek back in time and delve into the world of dinosaurs. You may even meet a present-day dino cousin!
Garden Harvesters
Aug. 12-15
9 a.m.-Noon
Help us tend the Discovery Hollow garden. From tiny seeds to tall plants, get down and dirty in this garden adventure! Play garden games while tending to the plants and preparing for our very own farmer’s market.
Best of Critters
Aug. 12-15
1-4 p.m.
Celebrate the end of summer with a grab bag of camp fun. We’ll keep track of the most popular activities and recreate the magic of summer. You never know what’s going to make it on the “best of” list!
Curiosity Club
Aug. 12-15
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Curious kids rule at Tamarack! Have you ever wondered if fish get thirsty or bats are really blind? Bring all your questions to the Curiosity Club. Let your inquiring mind soar as we search every nook and cranny of the nature center for answers to nature’s mysteries.